Vaporizer for internal-combustion engines



June 3, 1930. E. L. CARATHANASIS v VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 SheetsSheetl 1 N VEN TOR. firm 4:145 .1. swam mms/j B M A TTORNE Y.

June 3, 1930. E. L. CARATHANASIS 1,751,327

VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed 0012.15, 1924 ZSheets-Sheet 2 .4 [Ii V6474! Adrtwm/m /s ?.5 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 3, 1930 Y'EVA-NGELOS L. CARATIHANASIS; or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN vxromzss 'FO'R mmnmt-conntsrion ENGINES Application filed o'ctdbe'rla; 1924, Serial No. 743,316, aim in Canada Jiine 9, 1524.

My invention relates to improvements in fuel feed systems for internal combustion engines and has for its object the provision of a novel and highly efficient vaporizer 5 adapted to beinstalled in the fuel feed line leading from the carburetor-to the combustion chambers whereby the fuel will be thor-- oughly mixed and completely vaporized before entering the combustion chambers.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 532,114, filed January 27, 1922.

An object of my invention is the employment in a vaporizer of the character de- 1 scribed of a cup-shaped bafli'e member over which'the fuel flows before entering the combustion chambers, which baffle member is heated by the exhaust fromthe engine being led thereover and is adapted to collect such condensations of fuel as may occur in the intake and to retain the same within the influence o'f'the heat of the exhaust to be thereby vaporized and is provided'with an outlet through whichthe cup may be drained of 25 material collected thereinwhich is diflicult of volatilization.

A feature of importance is the construction of the vaporizer of a'minimum number of easily assembled parts and provided with 3 a baffle cup-as above set forth, which cup is jacketed for the passage of exhaust gases therethrough and provided with an exterior corrugated surface over which thefuel passes in flowingthrough the intake; The vapor- 35 izer is so formed that swirls are produced in the mixture before it strikes the apex of the outer surface ofthe cup and this agitationis continued after the fuel passes over the heated surface of the cup by internal fins 40 within the vaporizer. h e p The above objects and. others, together with details of coiistruc tion will more'fully appear from thefollowingdescriptienof preferred embodiment army invehtwnfllus- 45 tifated in the accompanying drawings and defined in 'theclaiiiis;

In the drawings,+ p p Figure 1 isa side elevation: of; an" internal combustion engine provided'with my 'inven tion;

F 19;. 2is across-sectional View through my vaporizer taken on line22 Fig. 1'.

F igi 3 is avertical sectional view taken on line 3 Fig. 2.

F igk iis a horizontal sectional view taken oh 1i'rie'4.4,l*ig.2. g

F 1g. 5 isahorizontalsectional View taken on line 55, Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is'a side elevationof my Vaporizer taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 1.-

Let 1O indicate my internal combustion engine'having an intake '12, an exhaust'lt and a Carburetor 16. My vaporizer'is showii in assembly in Fig. 1' as 18 aiidcom rises an outer casing having a lower portion 20 shapeda's' showniii Figs. 2-a'nd 3,,aiid provided with an inlet portion 22 of reduced diameter which communicates with the outlet from the carburetor. This inlet portion is provided with internal'slightlyspiral, fins 24a one of which is shown in Fig. 3." These fiiis tend tolset up swirls'in the gas passing therethrough. The upper; portion of the casing indicated as 26 is shown as for'ine'd integrall with the intake manifold 12'. Thiscasing portion 26 is provided with in ternal vertical ribs 28 and the outer wallis provided with'fins' 30 to increase the radiating surface. I

Disposed within the interior of the eiilar'gu lower casing member 20 is air oiit war'cllyf corrugated jacketed cup slia pd baffle member 32', which bafile'member 32 is spaced from the wall of the casing 20 so as to permit fuel-w flew over the outer surface of the baffle and over the" upper edge 36of the. cup to enter the portion of the chainbei" bounded by the annular casting which annular me'i'iibr is" provided with spiral ribs 40 formed oii'its iiirier'sui'face. Theoiiter surface of tliecup shai ed-member is preview with verticallyextending fiiis 34.

I have slfowirthecup shapd nienaber'se and the ring casting 38 as integral fbr'm'a; the cup being supportedlfroin the ringby lief U shap'ed tube 4 2} Thecup is really an enlarged tubular jacketed portion" formed in the ttib'e 42 and theiniierwall of the cup; is shapedas in' Fig; 4 at 44 w proud-e an enlarged assageway for exhaust gas,

though it will appear from Figs. 2, 3 and t the exhaust gas entering the jacketed portion of the cup may flow over the entire inner surface to heat the walls of the cup.

The three sections of the vaporizer may be secured together by suitable screws 46 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the tubes 42 are adapted to be secured to tapered branches L8 leading from the exhaust manifold and back to the exhaust manifold so that exhaust gas is taken from the exhaust manifold and passed through the interior of the cup and discharged back into the exhaust manifold thereby heating the cup.

The fuel mixture flowing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers swirls upwardly over the apex of the cup and along its vertically corrugated outer wall which is heated by the exhaust gases passing through the jacket of the cup and is substantially completely volatilized. The fuel mixture flows over the edge of the cup and the agitation thereof is continued by the fins 4.0 to swirl the mixture up into the crown member 26. This crown portion 26 is provided with external fins 30 to increase its radiating surface and cool the wall thereof and the inner surface is provided with fins 28 to present the maximum surface thereof to the passing mixture. I

The cup is so disposed that it will collect all the fuel which may be condensed in the intake above the mouth of the cup. The condensation will gather in the interior of the cup and the volatile portions will be carried off in the form of a gas. Those portions of the mixture incapable of volatilization under the heat conditions present may be drained from the cup through the discharge outlet 50 which extends downwardly throughthe intake as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is provided at the lower end with a removable plug 52.

\Vith the use of a vaporizer of the type here shown a steady, even flow of a thoroughly mixed and volatilized fuel is fed to the combustion chambers and the utmost efficiency of the internal combustion engine is assured with a substantial increase in mileage and smooth and even operation. Moreover, any condensation of fuel which may occur in the intake gathers in the cup and is subjected to the heat of the exhaust gases passing through the jacket and all those portions capable of combustion in the engine are volatilized and drawn into the combustion chainbers and such amount of heavy residuum incapable under the conditions present of being volatilized may be drained from the cup through the outlet 50.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine provided with an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers, and provided with an outwardly corrugated jacketed bafile cup positioned therein so the fuel mixture will flow over the outer surface thereof, the jacketed wall of said cup provided with an inlet and outlet for exhaust gases, and a drain pipe extending from the bottom of said cup to discharge externally of the vaporizer.

2. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having a fuel intake and an exhaust, comprising a conduit leading from the exhaust through the intake and provided with an enlargement in the form of a jacketed cupshaped structure depending within the intake spaced from the wall thereof to baflle the flow of fuel therethrough and to collect condensation of fuel therein.

3. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having a fuel intake and an exhaust for products of combustion, comprising a passageway for exhaust gases leading from the exhaust through the intake and provided with an enlargement in the form of a jacketed cup-shaped structure depending within the intake spaced from the wall thereof to baffle the flow of fuel through the intake and adapted to collect condensation of fuel within the intakeabove the cup-shaped structure, said intake constricted above said cupshaped structure and provided about its constricted portion with external radiating fins.

4. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers and provided with a jacketed bafile cup positioned therein above. the inlet and below the outlet to collect condensation forming within the vaporizer above the cup, said vaporizer shaped above the cup to form a dome thereover having internal ribs arranged to set up swirls in the gas mixture passing therethrough, said cup having external fins and provided with an outlet extending through the wall of the vaporizer, means for conducting exhaust gas from the engine to said jacketed baffle cup, said cup provided with an outlet for said exhaust gas.

5. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture (passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers) comprising a cup-shaped bottom portion with the inlet disposed at the bottom thereof, a dome-shaped top portion with the outlet positioned at the top thereof and an annular portion secured in place between the top and bottom portions and provided with a jacketed cup-shaped baffle depending within the bottom portion spaced from the Wall thereof, said bafile cup provided with an inlet and an outlet for exhaust gases, means connecting the inlet with the engine to receive exhaust gas therefrom.

6. A fuel vaporizer comprising, in combination,-a hollow upright lower cup-shaped portion having an inlet at its lower end, an annular portion between said upper and lower cup-shaped portions and secured to the upper end of said lower portion as an extension thereof, said three portions forming a hollow container having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top, and a second hollow upright cup-shaped portion positioned within the first mentioned upright hollow cupshaped portion spaced from the wall thereof so that fuel entering through the inlet flows over the outer wall of the second cup-shaped portion toward the outlet, and a conduit for heated gas extending throughtheintermediate portion and over the inner wall of the second cup-shaped member being exposed thereto.

7 A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers and provided with an upright jacketed baffle cup positioned therein above the inlet and below the outlet and spaced from the wall thereof providing an annular fuel passageway therein about the wall of the cup whereby fuel entering through the inlet flows upwardly through said passageway over the wall of the cup toward the outlet, said cup being adapted to catch condensation forming within the vaporizer above the open end of the cup, means for conveying a heating medium from the engine to the jacketed wall of the cup, said cup provided with an outlet for said heating medium.

8. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers and provided with a jacketed outwardly corrugated baffie cup positioned upright therein below the outlet and spaced from the wall forming an annular fuel passageway around said cup, said vaporizer having a dome-shaped portion disposed above said cup and over which the fuel passes to discharge through the outlet, said cup being adapted to catch condensation forming upon said dome-shaped portion above the open end of the cup, means for conveying a heating medium from the engine to the jacketed wall of the cup, said cup provided with an outlet for said heating me dium.

9. A vaporizer for an internal combustion engine provided with an inlet and an outlet for the fuel mixture passing from the carburetor to the combustion chambers and provided with a battle cup positioned upright therein below the outlet and spaced from the wall of the vaporizer forming an annular fuel passageway therein about the cup whereby the fuel mixture entering through the inlet flows through said passageway over the wall of the cup toward the outlet, said cup adapted to catch condensation forming within the vaporizer above the open mouth thereof and means for heating the cup, a conduit com- EVANGELOS L. CARATHANASIS. 

